The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-06-16
THE SOUTHLAND.
Address Delivered by Oolored Lad at
the Public School Exhibition
BY M. F. BALLENTINE.

BY NJ. F. BALLENTINE.
Dear Friends: This is in deed a
grand topic, worthy of volumes,
hard to be compressed within the
space Of ten minutes talk, for it
would require the pen of historian
and poet or the eloquence of an
orator to tell of it's many wonders,
much less the feeble attempt of
echool-boy. And5as 1 have been
appointed to speak OF the south
land may carry your minds back
to nearly three hundred years ago,
when this grand division was in
habited by the. red man? We find
that in the year 1868 the Span
iards settled Florida at St. Angus
tine, which is the oldest settlement
of the United States. Our race,
school-mates, help lay the founda-
ton stone. In 1884 Sir Walter Raj
eigh discovered Virginia at James
town, which is the second Oldest
city of America. He named it for
the Virgin Queen Elizabeth of Eng
land. This state has furnished
more presidents to the Union than
any other. On her soil have been
fought some of the bloodiest battles.
Ia 1876, civil war broke out in Vir-
ginia. 1t was known as "Ba-
cons Rebellion the cause of it
was i'll feelings which had arisen be
tween the people and the aristo-
cratic party.
From this war to 1860 there was
much trouble in the south-wars
and rumors of wars. Different col
onies had different opinions and
there were different opinions of the
United States government. One
class of statesmen said that the
federal union was league or con
federation. Another class held
that they formed national govern
ment which could not be dissolved.
This was truly q very wide differ
ence of opinion. But the love for
the Union was strong in all parts OF
the country. This disagreement
would not probably have led to
the dissolution of the Union if i'm
portant questions had not arisen.
Such questions did arise, but the
one that most widely divided the
north and south was that of slavery.
In these states slavery had been
very numerous, owing to the fact
that slave labor was proiitabIy en-
ployed in the cultivation of tobac
CO and rice. The invention of the
cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1893
soon made the cultivation of cotton
the leading branch Of industry.
This created a demand for large
numbers of negroes, and in the
year 1860 the slaves of the south
had increased to about 100000.
These opposing interests and senti-
ments on the subject of slavery
led to the missouri Compromise"
1t grew in bitterness each year and
finally resulted in the southern
states seeding from the Union, and
war was declared between the north
and south. During the month OF
January, 1861, five of the slave
states, viz: Mississippi, Florida,
Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana,
following the lead South Carolina,
passed secession ordinances and IN
February Texas did the same. Del
egates sent from these states met at
Montgomery, Ala, in the beginning
of February and organized a gov
eminent under the name of the
Confederate States of America. On
the Sth Of the same month Jetier-
son Davis was inaugurated presi
of the so-called confederacy.
Between the north and the south
known as the ''civil war, and which,
cost the country the lives of 100,-
600 of her bravest sons, and at the
end of four years, resulted in the
emancipation of the slaves of the
south. The overpowering of that
section and the surrender of its
forces under Robert Il. Lee to u. S.
Grant at Appromatox Court House
April 9th, 1865. And now at Mont
gomeTy stands n noble monument
of these thousands slain on the
bloody fields of Manassas, Bull
Run, Donelson, Chlckamauga
Franklin and Nashville.
And foe and friend sleep under the 500
and the dew,
Waiting for the judgment day,
Undor the laurel the blue,
Under the willow tho gray.n
Twenty three years have served
to ooliterate all sectional and bitter
feelings, and the north and soutt
ioin fraternal hands ore these grass
grown graves,
"And no moro shall the war cry sever
Or winding rivers BIO red,
And all have love and tears for the blue
Tears and love for the grey"
Long ago loving hands have
wrapped the conquered banner IL
the mantle of charity and laid i
tattered and blood stained where nj
unhallowed hands can touch 1t.
And from Maine to the gulf 1t IL
bonored for the bravery of the mer
who defended it. These twenty
three wears have brought prosper
nv back to our country, which IN III
suffering and loss has atoned. for iti